July 30, 2012

Rumored iPhone 5 Photos Show Fully Assembled “Next iPhone”

The as-of-yet unreleased and, for all we know, fictional iPhone “5” has just been “confirmed” once again, appearing in its familiar form. The whole gang of rumors are here, long and sleek, 4-ish-inch screen, smaller, 19-pin connector, new speaker configuration and headphone jack and centered FaceTime camera.

Japanese website iLab posted high-resolution photos of what appears to be a fully assembled “next iPhone,” as well as some individual components, such as cameras, home buttons, etc.

The team at 9to5mac.com are quick to point out that they were the first to present pictures of what might or might not be the next iPhone. The iLab pictures, however, are the first we´ve seen of what could be a completely assembled “next iPhone” from front to back. These pictures are just another part of an on-going story of slow and consistent leaks, and though these pictures lend a bit of context, they don´t really bring any new information to the party.

With all the talk about what´s going on with the front and bottom of the device, it is good to see how the back could look. The pictures on iLab show a black device (we´ve also seen what could be parts for a white iPhone) with a dark, brushed metallic gray back. These photos, should they hold true, suggest that Apple isn´t moving very far from their glass-wrapped-in-metal designs of the iPhone 4 and 4S, a design they´ve apparently been circling over for many years.

It should go without saying, of course, that this entire design and every part we´ve seen could be completely wrong. After all, many assumed last year and even “confirmed” that the “iPhone 5” (which ended up being the iPhone 4S) would boast a tear-drop shape. What´s different about this year´s purported parts, however, is that no one seems to be disputing them or offering other suggestions. I´ve asked many times before, but if Tim Cook really is doubling down on secrecy, then why do we supposedly know so much about this device more than 2 months before it´s expected to release?

Now, rumors are nothing new to the smartphone game. In fact, many non-Apple devices are fondled, pictured and videotaped long before their carrier or manufacturer ever admit they exist. Apple, on the other hand, have always been notorious about keeping their devices hidden underneath thick cloaks of secrecy, save the most extreme example when the iPhone 4 was left at that bar that one time.

Personally, I think the phone portrayed in all of these photos is a great looking device and a natural evolution for the Apple smartphone. To be honest, I´m going to buy the thing no matter what, unless, of course, it looks like one of those garish “X”-centric Droid devices. There is some small part of me, however, that wishes the next iPhone will look nothing like these pictures, blowing us all away and leaving us utterly surprised. After all, part of the fun of owning Apple devices is having to wait until Apple themselves holds a press event to wow the world with their latest and greatest. Knowing what the latest and greatest will look like before its time is just like knowing he could see dead people before watching the film for the first time, and that is a disappointment I hope I never have to live through again.